Oral Bacteria May Trigger Gut Diseases; Here's How You Can Maintain Oral Health

December 11, 2017 at 8:58 AM

If you have been suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, there is chance your oral health is not up to the mark. According to a new reports presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Session 2017, the bacteria residing in your mouth may be responsible for this gut disease as it activates immune cells to fuel inflammation in the gut. The findings published in the journal Science showed that when the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae colonises in an intestine out of microbial balance, immune cells called T helper 1 (TH1) become overactive in the gut, resulting in intestinal inflammation leading to the onset of inflammatory bowel disease.On an average, humans ingest 1.5 litres of saliva containing bacteria every day, which could possibly have harmful effects on health. "We noticed that oral microbes are relatively enriched in gut microbiomes of patients with several diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, HIV infection, and colon cancer compared with healthy individuals," said Masahira Hattori, Professor at the Waseda University in Tokyo.For the study, the team administered salivary samples of healthy and inflammatory bowel disease-afflicted individuals to germ-free mice. These bacteria in your mouth can give you a stroke. Klebsiella pneumoniae is usually a normal resident in the mouth of healthy individuals.To avoid the onset of any gut disease, it is imperative to keep your oral health intact. Here are foods that you should eat for a healthy mouth:

1. Leafy greensThey are full of vitamins and minerals and further promote oral health. They are high in calcium, so they build your teeth's enamel. They contain folic acid, a type of B vitamin that has numerous health benefits, including treating gum disease.

2. CheeseEating cheese can raise the pH level in the mouth and also helps lower the risk of tooth decay. Chewing cheese also helps the production of saliva in the mouth. Cheese also contains calcium and protein, nutrients that strengthen tooth enamel.

3. YogurtLike cheese, yogurt is high in calcium and protein, which makes it a good pick for the strength and health of your teeth. The probiotics found in yogurt benefit your gums.

4. ApplesApples are high in fiber and water. The action of eating an apple produces saliva in the mouth that rinses away bacteria and food particles.